Damn, fun with tonsils and adenoids

So, I was figuring I'd write a quick little post of the boys' getting haircuts yesterday, but instead it's surgery.  Yes, for my kid who has had two fevers in his life and one stomach bug, because apparently life is too boring :-).

I'd made him an appointment with the ENT because his dentist had recommended that we have him evaluated by an ENT due to his mouth breathing, growing overbite and large tonsils.  I really kind of expected the ENT to possibly scoff at us a little for being there and at most recommend a wait and see approach.  Nope, not at all.  He was in the room maybe three minutes and had asked Trajan some questions, looked in his throat and observed him and then asked me if I wanted the bad news then or in a few minutes. I voted for then and he said, "he's going to need both the adenoids and the tonsils out."

Apparently he pretty clearly has some obstruction due to his lymphatic tissue.  The ENT said that it's not at all the size of the tonsils that makes him go to removal, but more the mouth breathing that is pretty much obligate.  Apparently some notes in his chart from the allergist also supported the idea.  He said that if we wanted, we could first schedule him for an overnight sleep study to document that he is having breathing events, but that he could pretty much guarantee that with Trajan a study would find episodes and that sleep studies are not a fun walk in the park either.

I'd already checked in with our primary and she sounded like removing them could be reasonable and did support that the ENT is a good one, so I figure let's do it.

He sent the nurse in to schedule it and her first comment was, "looking at you, I'm thinking we need to schedule this sooner or later.  Do you have a couple weeks left?"  Seriously woman, I'm 22 weeks.  I realize I'm a bit large for 22 weeks, but I sure as heck don't look like 37 or anything!  I for some reason have harsher standards for medical professionals.  However, I did agree that sooner is better than later.  Both because our world will get more crazy and because the younger you are, the easier this procedure is supposed to be.  But he's ringbearing in a wedding on April 21, so we scheduled for April 26 as they apparently only do them on Thursdays.

It's a one-night stay and then lots of fun with fluids and soft things!  They said that some kids are back out playing by the time they are discharged, but some take as long as 7-10 days.  He has the week of the surgery off, so will hopefully just miss part of the next week of school.  We are also hopeful that he will be better enough by the next the week that he may still need to lounge and "take it easy" (i'm translating to be allowed to watch unlimited tv and drink and eat things with lots of sugar), but will be good enough that he'll be okay staying with Poppins during the day. 

The ENT said that most kids who present like him become much happier and are much better behavior-wise after the procedure as they aren't getting particularly restful sleep.  As he's a generally pretty good and easy kid, I'm thinking this could make him absurdly easy if it's true! ;-)  That said, he does definitely have his moments (Mr. Hyde) where it's like he's a completely different kid.  It's probably being overly optimistic to think that this will help that, but a girl can dream, right?

The ENT also said that at this age no myofunctional or speech therapy will be necessary.  He should simply revert to breathing through his nose as soon as the swelling has gone down since that is the body's "natural way".  He mentioned the same thing the dentist did about this making oral surgery as a teen less likely and having been through that fun of having both jaws broken and being in the hospital five or six days, I think if there's a CHANCE this will allow him to escape that, it's worth it.  I also still have no feeling in my chin or lower lip, so more reason to avoid that much more substantial surgery.

He sort of knows it is coming, but we will need to definitely have a discussion with him to make sure he knows what to expect.  I'm thinking I can couple it with a special grocery trip to pick out things to eat and drink post-surgery.  Any other tips, anyone?